Opportunistic and dangerous, Slovaks can’t be underestimated

VANCOUVER — Henrik Sedin, a star centre with both the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and Team Sweden, is hoping the Canadians beat Slovakia on Friday. But he has a warning for them.

“The Slovaks are a good team,” said Sedin. “They are one of those teams that are right behind the five top teams. But they are right there. They have some top-end talent and if they get a chance on power plays, they have a lot of snipers who are going to hurt you. And they did (against us).

“Canada is the favourite, for sure, and they should be. But we were the favourites and we couldn’t handle it.

“I hope Canada does a better job.”

Opportunistic and dangerous, the Slovaks have already beat Russia and Sweden, two of the most talented teams in the tournament. They don’t have depth on defence or on the forward lines.

But they do have some terrific players, a good game plan and a brilliant goalie. Jaroslav Halak has a 1.97 goals-against average in the Olympics and has the talent to do what American goalie Ryan Miller did — beat Canada all on his own.

The Slovaks will try to suffocate the Canadians offence. They will not play the freewheeling style employed by Russia, which allowed for a series of scoring opportunities in Canada’s 7-3 win Wednesday. They will be patient, clog up space in front of Halak and wait for the counter-attack. When they get it, they have shown they can make it count.

Wednesday against Sweden, the Slovaks had only four shots on net in the second period, but they scored three times en route to a 4-3 quarter-final victory.

Zdeno Chara, the reigning Norris Trophy winner, is arguably the best defenceman in the world. He’s big enough that the entire team can orbit around him. He leads the Olympics in ice time and will be asked to shut down Sidney Crosby’s line.

Then, there are the two Marians — Gaborik and Hossa. They are snipers extraordinaire who made Sweden pay for its penalties Wednesday. But the big surprise, and the one Canada can’t overlook, is Vancouver Canucks forward Pavol Demitra.

After a trying season during which he underwent two shoulder surgeries, Demitra has emerged as one of the Olympics’ biggest difference makers. Who would have predicted Demitra would be atop the scoring sheet? That’s where he sits now, with seven points in five games.

Demitra’s game against Sweden was his best in a long time. His goal, a cannon slap shot with 48 seconds left in the second period, broke Sweden’s back.

“I started feeling great my last couple of games with (the Canucks),” Demitra said. “My shoulder feels great. When you play for your country, it is an unbelievable feeling, especially when we win a game (like the Sweden game).”

Demitra has just four points in 11 games with the Canucks this year. He’s been bounced around the lineup, and had a couple games lately buried on the fourth line.

“I just have to play,” Demitra said. “I’m playing with great guys. You guys are going to see a lot more of (what I showed against Sweden).”

Demitra called the win against Sweden “the best game for our country.”

The Slovaks also have motivation. Many of the players are older and there’s not a lot of talent on the way up. For some, this is seen as a last chance.

“For our age group, this is the last huge tournament for us,” Demitra said. “We can show we want to play another couple of games together because we really enjoy each other.”

Another surprise this tournament as been the play of Richard Zednik. He signed on with Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League this year. Last season, Zednik scored 17 goals with the NHL’s Florida Panthers, coming back from a cut carotid artery. He had been sliced by a teammate’s skate blade in 2008.

Zednik has five points in the tournament and was a force during several shifts against Sweden.

Story Tools

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.